"Nor the year before, nor the year before that. Which is your headman? I shall require food for my men at once—they are tired after a day's march."
A gray-bearded, very tall man stood forward. "The food will be ready at once, noble decemvir, and I hope you will honor me with your presence for dinner."
"Thank you very much," said the captain, "but I prefer to stay with my men until I see them taken care of. And I am not a decemvir. My rank is captain—Caesar's captain."
The bearded man bowed and said, "Then, after the arrangements have been made, Captain, will you not take a cup of wine?"
"Don't press him, Grandfather," a voice said from above them, and, looking up, the captain saw a girl's face at a second-story window. She had very dark skin, red hair and blue eyes. "If he's been walking all day, I expect he wants to go to bed early. You'll only keep him up all night talking about boar hunts."
"Silence!" the headman shouted. "Get back, girl! You insult our ... our guest!"
"No, let her stay," the captain said with an amused smile. "Better still, have her come down. I think I shall accept your offer about the wine later."
In the evening, the captain came to the headman's house with his two lieutenants as guard. They were received with deference and given wolf-hides to sit on. The wine was brought by the granddaughter and served in horn cups.
"What is your name, young lady?" asked the captain politely. "This is excellent wine, by the way."